Weekend Appointments Roundup
The Illinois Republican Party state central committee chose Springfield attorney and former Illinois Gaming Board Chairman Don Tracy as the new Illinois GOP State Chairman Saturday.
The Illinois Republican Party got its first downstate chairman since 1988 Saturday and the Illinois Senate Black Caucus picked up two new members.
The 17-member Illinois GOP State Central Committee voted to install Don Tracy of Springfield as its new state party chairman. Tracy, 70, bested Lake County GOP Chairman Mark Shaw and Kendall County Board Chairman Scott Gryder for the position.
Tracy is the first downstate chairman since “Doc” Adams left the post in 1988.
Following his appointment, state Democrats immediately attacked Tracy.
"As the Republican Party struggles to take control of its party back from white supremacists and violent extremists, Illinois Republicans have chosen a leader whose ties to Donald Trump and Bruce Rauner promise a return to the failed policies of the past,” said Democratic Party of Illinois Executive Director Mary Morrissey. “The Illinois GOP has deemed Don Tracy, a Trump supporter who resigned as the Illinois Gaming Board chair after steering illegal contributions to former Governor Rauner's campaign, as their best hope to carry their party into the future. It will be interesting to see if the Illinois Republican Party will continue to embrace questionable leadership, division and extremism or consider working with Democrats to find solutions that lift up workers and families across Illinois. We aren't holding our breath."
Tracy sued in 2019 claiming an Executive Inspector General investigation into contributions his wife made to political candidates was “unlawful political activity” made at Don Tracy’s behest.
(Disclosure: a $1,000 check from Wanda Tracy was sent to a campaign I worked on at the time. The check was entered incorrectly into the campaign finance reporting software, which started the whole fiasco.)
Tracy replaces Tim Schneider, who had been Chairman since 2013.
Democrats Fill Two Senate Seats
The Illinois Senate Black Caucus grew by two members Saturday.
Springfield alderwoman and Sangamon County Democratic Chair Doris Turner was selected to replace former Sen. Andy Manar (D-Bunker Hill), who resigned last month to take a job in the Pritzker administration.
Former Rahm Emanuel Policy Director Mike Simmons was a surprise choice Saturday for the northside Senate seat vacated by former Sen. Heather Steans (D-Chicago.) Steans resigned January 31.
Rep. Kelly Cassidy (D-Chicago) was seen as the odds-on favorite for the position, but a divide between Cassidy and Alderman Harry Osterman led to Osterman casting his weighted votes for Simmons.
Turner and Simmons become the 11th and 12th Black members of the 59-person chamber.